2019-20 Russian Ladies' Figure Skating

[Edwin]

I am starting to think that next season might be extra interesting.

All the girls are at home now, can't train as they used to, so it all falls down to who has the best training at home.

This might throw things up a bit. Maybe some needed more ice time than others?

Can this be the opportunity for ladies like Gubanova, Sakhanovich, Nugumanova to fight back next season?

Will there be a next season at all?

Many thoughts....

Unless the Awesomely Amazing Aces lose their quads and other technical advantages such as Dudakov or Gleikhengauz, and the Sankt Peterburg skaters suddenly get consistent quads and/or triksels, the answer is no.

More of immediate interest is wether FFKKR would freeze or shake up the main and reserve team composition, on which a lot of financing and chances depend. Young advancing skaters need their chance, while the ones you listed ... It will make the teams crowded and it could mean loss of incentive in some too. Choices, decisions, and when there will be no competitive season this calendar year, with some events postponed uncertainly till 2021?

 

[Fried]

It's a myth that "if" Sasha had landed all her quads she would have won everything. That would have been true in the early season. But at GPF, RusNats, Europeans she wouldn't have won anyway if the others also were clean. Sasha simply doesn't have the components, and she was always behind after the short.

OK. I add. If Sasha had landed all of her quads and 3A, ...: D

 

[Fried]

Anna did win the freeskate at both Euros and GFP this year though. She definitely could have won everything if quads were allowed in the sp. And thats not the same type of "if" because Anna has no control over whether quads are allowed in the sp.

Even this "if" is idle, because it remains pure speculation. Like every "if" with every skater. You can talk about high probabilities, if you like, but not about security. If we talk about security, a second "if" is automatically added. Namely "if" otherwise everything would have gone as it went and "if" there would have been no problems with the quad in the SP (here we are again at the difference between safe and probable). But of course such considerations are a pleasure.

 

[KOBOT37]

It's a myth that "if" Sasha had landed all her quads she would have won everything. That would have been true in the early season. But at GPF, RusNats, Europeans she wouldn't have won anyway if the others also were clean. Sasha simply doesn't have the components, and she was always behind after the short.

at gpf on her 2 unsuccessful quads Alexandra gained 1.23+4.56-1=4.69 points.

Base value of these jumps are 9.70+9.50*1.1=20.15

even with no GOE gain (say she did -1 and +1) that would have been around +15.5 points.

Trusova got third with -14.41 points from Kostarnaia, so landing all her quads, even less than perfectly, would have got her first place there.

this goes without mentioning that had she landed all her quads, her pcs would have been considerably higher.

People just underestimate 5 quads.

Kostarnaia with her best performance to date got 88 points for Technical score in GPF.

5 quads, even if 2 are executed less than perfectly is around 110 points. 20-22 points more.

Kostarnaia with her absolute best performance can win back around 10 of them in SP and 7-8 on PCS in FP,but still it comes short.

 

[Arbitrary]

Just consider the fact that Trusova's BV of SP with 3Ax included is at least the same as Kostornaya's. Or better if fully charged with LzLo.
You cannot feed the Board with PCS only.

 

[TallyT]

If, if, if. If Sasha had landed all of her quads, one "if" would have eliminated the other.

For all sad words of tongue and pen,
The saddest are these, 'It might have been'.

 

[KOBOT37]

If everyone goes clean and is at their best, Alexandra takes gold, Anna takes Silver and Alena takes bronze.with +-2/3 point difference between them.

Anna needs to add one more flip to her FP to get guaranteed win in case of no falls.

P.S I really hope Anna one day goes for 4lz,4lz-3T,4F,4F-3T, 3Lz+3lo,3Lz,2A/3A and 3Lz, 3Lz+3lo and 3A/2A in SP Youtube FS community would probably burn down even before She reaches K&Q after performance

 

[SkateSkates]

If everyone goes clean and is at their best, Alexandra takes gold, Anna takes Silver and Alena takes bronze.with +-2/3 point difference between them.

Anna needs to add one more flip to her FP to get guaranteed win in case of no falls.

P.S I really hope Anna one day goes for 4lz,4lz-3T,4F,4F-3T, 3Lz+3lo,3Lz,2A/3A and 3Lz, 3Lz+3lo and 3A/2A in SP Youtube FS community would probably burn down even before She reaches K&Q after performance

You cannot repeat more than 1 quad so this layout is not possible. Her current layout is the max, unless she moves one or more quad to the bonus to add points that way, which IMO is a risk not worth the reward at this time. But who knows, she could surprise us - she usually does!

 

[Arbitrary]

Even being totally clean Sasha may meet with Bonalie-Harding mood of the Board.
Low marks without a visible reason.
"It was decided so..."

 

[flanker]

Even this "if" is idle, because it remains pure speculation. Like every "if" with every skater. You can talk about high probabilities, if you like, but not about security. If we talk about security, a second "if" is automatically added. Namely "if" otherwise everything would have gone as it went and "if" there would have been no problems with the quad in the SP (here we are again at the difference between safe and probable). But of course such considerations are a pleasure.

Little interrupting into the discussion. That Anna is able to win over clean Aliona is no speculation, it already happened even without a quad in a short program and even with a smaller mistake in the free program. So, e.g. saying "if Anna didn't fell from the second quad Lutz in her free skate at Europeans, she would have won" is not just wishful thinking, it's a real possibility. Of course it did not happen, but it's not like "when pigs fly" (we use "when it rains down and becomes dry again").

 

[flanker]

You cannot repeat more than 1 quad so this layout is not possible. Her current layout is the max, unless she moves one or more quad to the bonus to add points that way, which IMO is a risk not worth the reward at this time. But who knows, she could surprise us - she usually does!

It would be enough to stabilize a 3A. Just one in the short program and then her "usual" two 4Lz and one 4F in the free

 

[MaHa75]

I am starting to think that next season might be extra interesting.

All the girls are at home now, can't train as they used to, so it all falls down to who has the best training at home.

This might throw things up a bit. Maybe some needed more ice time than others?

Can this be the opportunity for ladies like Gubanova, Sakhanovich, Nugumanova to fight back next season?

Will there be a next season at all?

Many thoughts....

I think that canceling the WC was enough and next season will be normal.
I am not 100% sure that russians dont train on ice. At the beginning of qarantine was in news that russian team will still get to ice in Novogorsk centre. And if they dont train there they may train somewhere else secretly...this is russia and figure skating is number 1 sport there!

 

[Fried]

Little interrupting into the discussion. That Anna is able to win over clean Aliona is no speculation, it already happened even without a quad in a short program and even with a smaller mistake in the free program. So, e.g. saying "if Anna didn't fell from the second quad Lutz in her free skate at Europeans, she would have won" is not just wishful thinking, it's a real possibility. Of course it did not happen, but it's not like "when pigs fly" (we use "when it rains down and becomes dry again").

In relation to Alyona, that may be true, but when it comes to the competition with Sasha, it must be allowed to say that 5 quads that landed are not the same as flying pigs either. ^_^

 

[flanker]

In relation to Alyona, that may be true, but when it comes to the competition with Sasha, it must be allowed to say that 5 quads that landed are not the same as flying pigs either. ^_^

And I don't think it shouldn't be allowed either. I think people should realize that Anna, Sasha and Aliona have all their strong sides and weaknesses, they are not the same but they are truly equal in their potential to win. For now, the difference in the final placement can be caused by little things that sometimes can be sometimes hardly "corrected" by training itself.

 

[Fried]

And I don't think it shouldn't be allowed either. I think people should realize that Anna, Sasha and Aliona have all their strong sides and weaknesses, they are not the same but they are truly equal in their potential to win. For now, the difference in the final placement can be caused by little things that sometimes can be sometimes hardly "corrected" by training itself.

Absolutely. And I have to confess that I always feel a little guilty about Anna and Alyona because when they compete against each other I just can't help but burn for Sasha.

 

[SkateSkates]

I think that canceling the WC was enough and next season will be normal.
I am not 100% sure that russians dont train on ice. At the beginning of qarantine was in news that russian team will still get to ice in Novogorsk centre. And if they dont train there they may train somewhere else secretly...this is russia and figure skating is number 1 sport there!

I don’t think they are training on the ice - Anna, Sasha and Kamila have all posted photos or videos from their homes, not in Moscow, maybe even hours away (not sure exactly where they are on a map). There was a statement that starting April 29 the ministry of sport would start discussions on how to resume training for national team members across all sports, so perhaps next week there will be an update.

 

[Maju]

Popping in to say hi and ask a question!
I believe there was a competition where Anya was a little bit ahead of the music in her FS so she added an extra step to the step sequence. Can anyone tell me what competition it was?

 

[Amei]

I don’t think they are training on the ice - Anna, Sasha and Kamila have all posted photos or videos from their homes, not in Moscow, maybe even hours away (not sure exactly where they are on a map). There was a statement that starting April 29 the ministry of sport would start discussions on how to resume training for national team members across all sports, so perhaps next week there will be an update.

Considering everyone has been pretty much sequestered to their homes with family for like the entire month of April, if they and none of the family they've been with is sick - I don't see why they can't open up the ability for the athletes to train, especially for sports like figure skating where it's not a team sport where you have to come into contact/close proximity with a larger number of people like say football or basketball where you are more likely to have exchange of fluids like sweat or droplets from breathing, the only exception there being ice dancers and pairs skaters which is only 1 other person that you are theoretically getting close to. And they could put smaller groups on the ice at a time, or restrict it specifically to skaters that are on the national team and the reserve team with an international assignment in the previous season, etc. where they could limit even the potential for people to get into close contact with each other.

 

[Tolstoj]

Considering everyone has been pretty much sequestered to their homes with family for like the entire month of April, if they and none of the family they've been with is sick - I don't see why they can't open up the ability for the athletes to train, especially for sports like figure skating where it's not a team sport where you have to come into contact/close proximity with a larger number of people like say football or basketball where you are more likely to have exchange of fluids like sweat or droplets from breathing, the only exception there being ice dancers and pairs skaters which is only 1 other person that you are theoretically getting close to. And they could put smaller groups on the ice at a time, or restrict it specifically to skaters that are on the national team and the reserve team with an international assignment in the previous season, etc. where they could limit even the potential for people to get into close contact with each other.

It's not just that but there is also off ice training, ballet classes, stretching excercises for flexibility where the specialists or doctors basically touch you and you shouldn't cause you have to respect the meter (1.8 m here) of distance. Specialists and coaches may need to come to the rink wearing masks and gloves.

But i do think in a matter of weeks athletes will return to their normal training schedule, and ISU will try to set events probably behind closed doors (which i'm not sure how feasible that could be).

The fear of a new outbreak will always be around, until we find the vaccine. China has now put the city of Harbin (Boyang Jin and Han Yan's hometown) under lockdown after 52 new cases reported.

 

[SkateSkates]

I don’t think they can go back to training normally any time soon, but I do think the national team members + coaches could move to large bases where they live and train. The entire national team couldn’t go to Novogorsk- I think it’s too many people. Need to account for Zamboni operators, doctors, coaches, etc. Not sure if parents would legally need to be there for younger team members or if the skaters could live on their own. But Tarasova mentioned there was a facility in Sochi (IIRC) that could accommodate training, and I’m sure there are others. Maybe they can only have 1 hour on ice instead of 3 if skaters need to train in groups of 4 vs 12, but that’s better than nothing. And obviously priority would be given to national team members. Unless there are private facilities with the capacity in which case others could train (if they can pay to have it open).